1837.J 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



767 



ers" (most of whom we are proud to say, are Virginians) 

 North Carolina will owe, not only this great source ot 

 value anfl profit to her asrri culture, but, indb-ccUy, also 

 the establishment of her wliole system of such im- 

 provements. This consideration alone would be cause 

 enough for not discarding this road from an equal share 

 of countenance and favor. However, we mean not to 

 appeal to the sense of gratitude of the state, but mere- 

 ly to that of its interest. This road will as certainly 

 be completed, and will yield as large dividends to the 

 stockholders, without the aid of the state's subscrip 

 tion, as with it. It will have no effect whatever upon 

 the future returns of the railway, whether the state 

 owns two-fifths of its stock, and draws two-fifths of its 

 profits, or that the whole of both are in the hands of 

 private individuals. There is, however, an important 

 difference as to the state, whose interest would have 

 heen essentially, and in various ways, promoted by her 

 becoming a partner in the work. It is not, however, 

 our purpose to undertake the discussion, at large, of 

 this question of state policy. 



Drainage oj the Swamp Lands. 



Another purpose to which North Carolina has devo- 

 ted a part of the treasure recently put at her disposal, 

 commands unmixed applause. It is the draining, and 

 bringing into a state for culture, the immense body of 

 swamp lands, which fortunately still belong to the 

 commonmealth, and which, still more fortunately, she 

 now has both the disposition and ability to bring to a 

 state of high value. 



It was not a little odd, that we had written a denun- 

 ciation of the legislature of North Carolina, for their 

 neglect of this great source of national evil, or good, 

 (accordingly as it is managed,) not long before the pas- 

 sage of the act which has changed our censure to ap- 

 plause, and deprived us of any pretension to propheti- 

 cal knowledge in this respect. The following pas- 

 sage was designed as part of the description of the Dis- 

 mal Swamp which was published in our January num- 

 ber: but was omitted, as more appropriate to remarks 

 specially on the swamp lands of North Carolina, which 

 we hoped to be able to sse, and describe, at some fu- 

 ture time. 



"The Dismal Swamp stretches southward nearly 

 half its length into North Carolina. Indeed swamp 

 land of the same general character, continues much 

 farther south, and forms a large part of several coun- 

 ties in the eastern part of North Carolina. Of this 

 vast southern extension it is not my purpose to speak, 

 except to state what is derived from mere loose report 

 — that nearly the whole region is now an enormous 

 nuisance, and a source of wide-spread disease, pover- 

 ty and desolation — and yet might be rendered, by pro- 

 per drainage, with ease and cheapness, compared to the 

 object, a region as remarkable for fertility and beauty, 

 as it now is for the opposite qualities. Some few en- 

 lightened and spirited proprietors have executed parti- 

 cular works that prove these assertions by example: 

 but unfortunately, others are slow to follow such ex- 

 amples — and the most slow is the commonwealth of 

 North Carolina, which still remains the proprietor of a 

 very large body of these rich swamp lands." 



The swamp lands belonging to the state, besides all 

 held by individuals, are supposed to amount to ],.500,- 

 000 acres. All this, in addition to otlier large funds, 

 has been lately given to the Literary Fuiul, designed to 

 aid general education — and $.'2()0,0()() fiave been appro- 

 priated to be expended in draining these lands. A 

 most magnificent and noble work indeed! which will 

 redound to the honor of the goveriuuent, and the pro- 

 fit of the people, if judiciously ])lannnd and executed — 

 but which there is great reason to fear will be planned 

 without judgment, and executed still worse than 

 planned. The art of draining rests on scientific prin- 

 ciples, which, however simple, cannot be neglected, 

 or opposed, without certain disappointment, if not to- 

 tal failure in the objects contemplated. How few men 

 are there who know the proper and most economical 

 and sure modes of draining a few acres on their own 

 farms! and how immeasurably greater will be the dan- 

 ger, if unfit and improper agents are trusted, of fail- 

 ure in this one general plan of draining a swamp equal 

 in size to a principality ! 



Our presumption, in expressing these fears of mis- 

 management and failure, is the greater, inasmuch as 

 we know but little of the provisions of the law, and 

 nothing of the individuals to whom its execution will 

 be committed. We only know that much skill, and 

 a general knowledge of draining will be requisite, and 

 that little of either is possessed by any in this country — 

 and that government jobs are, of all in the world, the 

 worst executed. Judging from the manner in which 

 public works and important improvements are di- 

 rected by government, we guess that the great work of 

 the North Carolina drainage, will probably be confided 

 to the direction of some highly respectable, elderly, and 

 inert gentlemen, who however well informed other- 

 wise, are totally ignorant of the principles of draining; 

 and that these directors will employ, trust, and seldom, 

 supervise personally, low priced agents or contract- 

 ors, ignorant in every respect, except how to make a 

 good living for themselves out of even the lowest wa- 

 ges paid by the public. If we may presume not only 

 to censure in advance, but to advise in this matter, it 

 would be to a course like this. Let a competent engi- 

 neer, as well as a scientific drainer, be employed, at li- 

 beral salaries, to examine the whole ground, and re- 

 port upon the whole plan, before any partial com- 

 mencement o{ ditching is made. Those who will suc- 

 cessfully execute this work, must not only know all 

 about the water, and the means to remove it, but also 

 the nature of the soil to be reclaimed, its chemical in- 

 gredients, and thence, wh.it will be its future condition, 

 value, and permanency after draining, under tillage. It 

 is not enough to know how to lower the water suffi- 

 ciently, compared to the present height of the surface 

 soil : it should be known whether that level of the sur- 

 face will be maintained, when dry and under tillage, 

 or whether, as in most embanked marshes in Virginia, 

 the dried soil may not rot away (on account of its ve- 

 getable composition) almost to the new level of the 

 reduced waters. 



We earnestly hope that our fears of the execution 

 of this work may prove as ill-founded, as our late pre- 

 diction of the continuance of the neglect to authoiize 



